Toothbrush holder



' Jan. 20, 1953 N w, KNOWLES 2,626,199

TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER Filed Oct. 20, 19423 INVENTOR Jlormanlfflfnows 8Y3 Z g ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,626,199 TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER Norman W. Knowles, Guilford, Conn. Application October 20, 1948, Serial No. 55,451

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a toothbrush holder.

Toothbrushes as ordinarily supported in racks on Walls are exposed to contamination by dust and germs carried in the air, by contact of persons and insects, and when several brushes are held in the same rack, one toothbrush is often subject to contamination by its neighbor.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved toothbrush holder, which will enhouse an individual toothbrush and protect it against contamination.

It is another object to provide an improved toothbrush holder, which will automatically hang in position to facilitate insertion and withdrawal of the toothbrush.

Another object is to provide a toothbrush holder which may serve as a sanitary container for a toothbrush in a store, and which may later be employed as a sanitary and convenient wall holder or housing for a toothbrush in the home.

Other objects and features of invention will be hereinafter pointed out or will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

My improved toothbrush holder for use in the home comprises a housing of generally tubular form such as round, oval, rectangular, etc., and preferably of glass, plastic, rubber, or similar material, which will be supported on a wall. The housing is preferably pivotally supported, and pin means may extend transversely of the housing and generally chordally thereof, and either the pin means or the housing surrounding the pin means may serve as a support for the toothbrush in the housing. The support point for the housing is preferably above and to the outside of the center of gravity of the housing so that the housing assembly will hang at an angle with the open bottom extending away from the wall. The housing may be pivotally supported in various ways and will always be conveniently positioned for withdrawal or insertion of a toothbrush.

In the drawings which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention- Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a tubular support of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and illustrating an alternative bracket or support means for the holder.

In the form shown in Fig. 1, I employ a tu-,

bular support 5, which is preferably closed at the top and open at the bottom for the insertion of a toothbrush 6. The housing 5 may be formed of glass, plastic, rubber, or other material, and may be transparent or translucent and, if desired, of course may be decorated. The housingv intermediate the ends, and preferably outwardly of the axisthereof, has two aligned holes 18 therein for the reception of a supporting pin 9, which will of course extend chordally across the inside of the housing 5. The pin 9 may be supported from a wall by any suitable means, such as the screw hooks Ill--I9, which may be open sufficiently to permit the transverse insertion of the pin 9 or one or both of which may be closed and the pin inserted through an eye and through the holes in the tube, all as will be understood. The location of the pin 9 in the housing 5 is preferably such that it is above and outward of the center of gravity so that the housing will swing outwardly at the bottom, more or less as shown in Fig. 2, and be in position for convenient removal of the toothbrush from the housing or for insertion of the toothbrush into the housing. When the toothbrush is to be removed, it may be drawn downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, but it is preferable to turn the toothbrush so as to free the bristles from the pin 9 supporting them, after which the toothbrush may be very easily withdrawn.

It will be seen that in the form shown in Fig. 1, a chordal pin serves as a very convenient support for the toothbrush, as well as for the housmg.

In the form shown in Fig. 2, the housing I l, instead of having holes therein, has the wall deformed as shown at 12, so as to provide a transversely extending or chordal channel in the tube. This channel is of a size to receive a pin I4, say, of the type shown in Fig. 1, and the pin It may be supported as heretofore described. In the form shown in Fig. 2, the toothbrush is supported by the deformed wall forming part of a support for the housing, and no apertures through the wall, to communicate with the interior, are necessary.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the housing l5 might be of either the type shown in Fig. 1, with apertures, or with a deformed wall as shown in Fig. 2. In any event, a bearing or channel for the pin means is provided in the housing l5, and pin means l6l6 may extend into the apertures or channels in the housing for supporting the housing, as will be clear. The pin means Iii-l6 are preferably supported on spring arms, as shown, so as to spring into place.

In the form shown in Fig. 5, the housing 20 may be of the forms showninsFigs. 1'01- 2, and the pin means may be: supported in a pair of' opposite" brackets such as 2I', having an opening 22, for the transverse passage of the pin 2 I. The opening 22 as it proceeds inwardly may be undercut so that it will securely hold the pin against dis lodgment either when pulling the toothbrush from the holder or when inserting" a toothbrush into the holder.

In all forms illustrated, it will be apparent that the supporting means for the housing serves also as a supporting means for" the toothbrush. My improved toothbrush holder" willalways provide a sanitary covering for the toothbrush and' tend to prevent contamination thereof.

It should be understood that while my invention is in a toothbrush holder for the home, the holder could form: part of or be a sanitary con-- tainer' for a toothbrush in the store, merel'y by providing a telescopic cap to-house the bottom of the handle of the toothbrush.

While the invention has been described con siderable' detail and preferred form illustrated; it is tdbeunderstood' that changes maybe made within the scope of the invention as defined the appendedclaim Iclaim:

In a toothbrush holder, a tubular housing for a toothbrush and having an open end for the insertion of a toothbrush, the wall of said housing having an inwardly deformed portion extending directly chordally across the inside of said housing and forming a channel for pin means and open to the outsideof saidhousing, said channel being' characterized by an opening converging at the mouth thereof, whereby said deformed wall will serve as a support for a toothbrush in said housing, and pin means housed in sa-id channel for supporting said housing from a wall.

NORMAN W. KNOWLES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this. patent:

UNITED STATES BA'I ENTS Number Name Date 1,3-'7 5- ,8'65 Sulak Apr. 26', 1921- 1,458,566 Wel'p1e'y e June 12; 1923 1,466,041 Dugga'rr Aug. 28, 1923' 1,588,781 Stoddard: June 15, 1926 2,037,569 Fah'n Apr; 14; I936 FOREIGN PATENTS:

Number Country Date 6'93"",36'7 France" Aug; 19, I930 

